Lighting fixture



Dec. 19, 1939. D. H. HOLDEN LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Aug. 5, 1937INVENTOR. 3662/! flO/d Z/I d? @W @l ATTORNEYJ,

Patented Dec. 19, 1939 oNiTso 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel contruction for an electriclighting fixture capable of a great many different types of uses andinstallations, such as for both direct and indirect ,3 lighting,installations in households and public establishments, for advertisingand display lighting, and also adapted for ceiling, wall and tablelocations.

The general object and nature of my invention in is to provide such alighting fixture which is capable of economical manufacture and whereinthe parts can be assembled, rearranged, and removed with maximumconvenience without affecting the efficiency of the structure, damaging25 parts, or the use of any tools other than the human hands and thescrew driver.

More particularly one of the objects of my invention is to provide aremovable cover member or reflector, adapted to partially enclose thelight- 20 ing elements, such as an electric lamp, which cover member iscapable of being installed and removed in the assembled fixture merelyby pressure of the fingers, and is locked against longitudinal movementupon installation and can be reversibly mounted in the fixture so as todirect or reflect light in either of two directions.

Another object is to provide means for resiliently holding the electriclamp in assembled position, which means also has the dual function 30 ofaiding in the maintaining of the cover member in position.

Still another object is to provide means, in the form of projectingelements on the end members of the fixture for insuring the properalignment of the base member and the end members upon assembly.

And further novel features and objects of the invention are to providerecesses or cavities in the end members for the reception of electric sowiring appliances such as electric switches, grommets, connecting plugsand the like, for the concealment, protection and insulation of suchappliances from the metal parts and exposed portions of the lightingfixture.

A still further object is to provide a novel form of assembly for abacking or closure plate, cooperating with the base member and adaptedto reinforce the parts in their assembled positions.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention,then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism 55 embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a lighting fixture embodying theprinciple of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top elevational view of thefixture shown in 1' Fi 3 is a transverse sectional view taken subs. allyalong line 33 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View takenthrough the fixture and showing one manner of wiring and mounting thesame; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along l;and further showing a sign holding bracket in position upon the fixturewhen the latter is used for advertising or display purposes; Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail sectional view of the juncture of the cover memberand an end member of the fixture; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of thesign holding bracket; and Fig, 8 is a transverse sectional View of thefixture illustrating a two color lighting efiect.

Now refe ing more particularly to the drawthe apparatus shown thereinconsists of a base member 5, the cover member 2, and the end members 3'3. The base member I and the cover member 2 are fabricated frommetallic material such as aluminum, and due to the fact that they are ofuniform cross-sectional form and contour throughout their length, suchparts are capable of manufacturing by an extrusion process.

The end members 3 and 4 are preferably composed of a non-metallicplastic material and can be fabricated by means of injection andpressure molding processes.

The end members 3 and 4 have inwardly projecting lugs or tongues 5 and 5respectively which are parallel to and present the surfaces 7 and 8respectively adapted to bear against the under side of the top wall ofthe base member 1 ShouL ders 8' and Q are also provided in the lugs ortongues 5 for the abutment of the ends of the cover member 5. Suitablefastening means such as studs or bolts extend through the base member 1into the tongues 5 and 6 and hold the end members in proper assembledposition on the base member 5. The surfaces 7 and 8 maintain the propertransverse alignment of the end members 3 and A with respect to the basemember I, and the shoulders 8 and 9 in turn maintain the properlongitudinal positioning and alignment thereof.

Electric sockets or outlets l6 and H are mounted upon the under side ofthe base member l and extend therethrough for the reception of terminalson the electric lamp 12. The cover member 2, which from Figs. 3 and 5will be seen to be of curved cross-sectional form, extends from the sideof the base member I to a point more than 90 removed from the plane ofthe top of the base member I. The cover member 2 serves as both a shieldand a reflector for the light from the lamp l2.

Recesses l3 and M are provided in the opposed or inner sides of the endmembers 3 and 6. The side walls of the recesses I 3 and I l are of thesame contour as that of the cross-section of the cover member 2 andadapted to receive the latter in position thereagainst. It will be notedthat these side walls of the recesses I3 and it are of similar form oneach side of a central vertical plane (with respect to Figs. 3 and 5) sothat the cover member 2 can be assembled in reversible position oneither side of the fixture. The dotted lines in Fig. 5 illustrate thereversible position of the cover member 2.

Shoulders l5 and it are provided in the side walls of the recesses l3and M respectively for the engagement and abutment of the ends of thecover member 2 when the cover member is in assembled position. It willbe noted that the distance between the shoulders I5 and I6 issubstantially equal to the length of the cover member 2, so that thelatter is locked against longitudinal movement when in assembledposition in the fixture,

A spring clip I! is carried on the inner face of the cover member 2 andadapted to resiliently bear against the electric lamp l2. The bottomwalls of the recesses l3 and it are of such a depth that the covermember 2 may be pressed inwardly against the spring I! and to a pointwhere one of its ends clears either one of the shoulders IE or H5 andcan then be longitudinally slid into either one of the recesses It orit, and the opposite end of the cover member then lifted out past eitherone of the inner sides of the end members 3 or 4. In other words, thedepth of the recesses l3 and i4 is greater than the difference betweenthe length of the cover member 2 and the distance between the innersides or opposing faces of the end members 3 and 4.

It will thus be seen that the spring clip I! serves the dual function ofretaining the cover member 2 in assembled position and of holding thelamp i2 against the base i.

Additional recesses or cavities i8 and i9 are also provided in the endmembers 3 and d at a point adjacent and in alignment with the ends ofthe base member 4. The cavities l8 and it are for the reception ofelectrical appliances such as an electric switch 20 or a grommet 2i, andwherein such appliances may be concealed and protected from the metalparts of the fixture. A backing plate 22 is adapted to fit in grooves 23and 24 in the bottom, spaced-apart edges of the base member l. Fasteningscrews or studs 25 and 2B secure the ends of the backing plate 22 to theend members 3 and :3. The backing plate 22 thus closes the interior ofthe base member 5 for the protection of wiring and also reinforces theattachment of the end members 3 and 4 to the base member I in assembledposition. An adaptor plate 2'1, capable of being attached to a fixturestud '23 of an outlet box (not shown) by means of the lock nuts 29 isthreadably engaged by the long screws or bolts 3E] extending through thetop of the base member l and through the backing plate 22. The heads ofthe bolts 30 are accessible from the top or front of the lightingfixture, and by drawing them up, the fixture is attached to the fixturestud 28 and can thereby be mounted against an outlet box whether thelatter be in a vertical or horizontal position.

Sign holding brackets 3! having an upright channel portion 32 for thereception of a sign such as indicated at 33 can also be used with thefixture when it is desired to use the latter for advertising or displaypurposes. A pair of brackets 3! are simply attached to the base member Iby inserting the fastening bolts 34 through them.

It will be noted that recesses or shoulders 35 and 36 are provided inthe upper edges of the base member i for the reception of the edge ofthe cover member 2. The cover member 2 has an inwardly and laterallyextending flange 31 which overlies the top of the base member I. Eitherone of the shoulders 35 and 36 (depending upon the position occupied bythe cover member 2) together with the flanges 37, serve as light trapsfor preventing any of the light from the lamp l2 leaking or passingthrough the joint between the cover member 2 and the base member i.

It will also be noted that another light trap is formed between the endpieces 3 and i and the cover member 2, due to the fact that the ends ofthe cover member 2 fit within the recesses i3 and i l and engage againstthe shoulders l5 and 16.

The modified form of construction illustrated in Fig. 8 shows a novelmanner in which a plural lighting eifect may be had in the fixture, suchlighting effect emanating from the single source of light. In thislatter form of modified construction, the cover member 2 has a pluralityof perforations At which may be arranged in any desired design or in theform of letters carrying an advertising slogan or trade name. The lampi2 has its walls colored in two different color portions such asindicated at 4! and 22. Thus the light rays #3 from the wall portion H(which light rays might be of a green color, for example) pass outthrough the perforations HEB and show a green colored design orlettering on the exterior of the cover 2, and the light rays 44 from thedifferently colored wall portion of the lamp I2 (which light rays may bewhite, for example) pass out through the open space between the basemember 5 and the cover member 2, and may be directed against the sign 33when used with the fixture, or merely allowed to light up the spaceadjacent the fixture. In this manner a plural colored lighting efiect isobtained from a single source of light.

Although in the foregoing description the light ing fixture has beenreferred to as disposed in a horizontal plane, it should be appreciatedto those skilled in the art that it might equally well be disposed in avertical position or in a reversed position on a ceiling. So thereforethe portions of the fixture and the base member referred to in theforegoing description as the top and bottom, can equivalently bedescribed as the front and rear respectively.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a base member, a lampdisposed longitudinally of said base member, and a cover member ofcurved cross-section and adapted to partially enclose said lamp, endmembers extending transversely from each end of said base member, saidend members having recesses for the reception of the ends of said covermember, said recesses being or" a greater depth than the differencebetween the length of said cover member and the distance between theopposing surfaces of said end members, whereby said cover member isremovably insertable between said end members, and resilient means forurging said cover member against the side walls of said recesses.

2. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a base member, a lampdisposed longitudinally of said base member, and a cover member ofcurved cross-section and adapted to partially enclose said lamp, endmembers extending transversely from each end of said base member, saidend members having recesses for the reception of the ends of said covermember, said recesses being of a greater depth than the differencebetween the length of said cover member and the distance between theopposing surfaces of 'said end members, whereby said cover member isremovably insertable between said end members, shoulders on the sidewalls of said recesses for contacting with the ends of said covermemher, the distance between said shoulders being substantially equal tothe length of said cover member, and resilient means for urging saidcover member against the side walls of said recesses and into engagementwith said shoulders.

3. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a base member, a lampdisposed longitudinally of said base member, and a cover member ofcurved cross-section and adapted to partially enclose said lamp, endmembers extending transversely from each end of said base member, saidend members having recess for the reception of the ends of said covermember, said recesses being of a greater depth than the differencebetween the length of said cover member and the distance between theopposing surfaces of said end members, whereby said cover member isremovably insertable between said end members, inwardly extendingprojections on said end members, the surface of said projections beingparallel to and adapted to contact with a surface of said base member,and means for fastening said projections to said base member.

4. In a lighting fixture, the combination of a base member, a lampdisposed longitudinally of said base member, and a cover member ofcurved cross-section and adapted to partially enclose said lamp, endmembers extending transversely from each end of said base member, saidend members having recesses for the reception of the ends of said covermember, said recesses being of a greater depth than the differencebetween the length of said cover member and the distance between theopposing surfaces of said end members,

whereby said cover member is removably insertable between said endmembers, grooves in the bottom edges of said base member, a backingplate having edges adapted to fit in said grooves, and means forfastening said backing plate to said end members.

DEAN H. HOLDEN.

